Wu-Dao Isle
Wu-Dao Isle is an independent island off the south-western coast of the Jade Forest (South-east of Krasarang Wilds). It is a traditional and established lands, currently ruled and governed by Her Imperial Majesty, Empress Tuian of the Mistborn Dynasty. The Isle is densely populated, holding around one-thousand purely Pandaren citizens. Recently, they have opened their gates to foreigners wishing to join and learn of their culture. Etymology The name Wu-Dao Isle is quite a peculiar translation into Common. The structure of the language plays a large factor in that, as the name literally translates to "Mist-Isle Isle." History 'The Sundering' The History of the Wu-Dao Isle is a long and complicated one. Their roots can be traced to ancient Pandaria, as they were once considered a province of Pandaria. During The Sundering, with Emperor Shaohao giving his last breath to shroud the land in mists to cover and save his people from utter destruction; the Isle, far away in the distance, was forgotten. Those of the Wu-Dao whom were trapped on the mainland soon thought the isle had disappeared, destroyed and lost, and the rest of the mainland soon shared that thought. On Wu-Dao's side, the opposite, their beliefs that Pandaria was lost forever spread like wildfire throughout the island, until they thought themselves to be the last land in the world. 'The First Emperor' His Imperial Majesty, Emperor Xiang, stood resolute through the tragedies that soon plagued the isle and the minds of its inhabitants. Through his leadership and teachings, the populace adhered to his philosophy that they were the chosen people. They believed without question that they were ones who were meant to survive: the ones with the right culture, the right tradition. They believe that, because of this, they were spared from the Sundering. This philosophy was among the first and most important pieces of literature featured in every library. Every Pandaren whom was ever born on the Isle has been taught this lesson, a factor that greatly contributes to the patriotic pride in which every Wu-Dao Pandaren holds to their own home island. 'Current Affairs' Only recently have the reclusive Wu-Dao Pandaren left their island. Several factors contributed to this prolonged delay in their exploration following the recent parting of the mists; the most noteworthy being their distance from the mainland and the historical belief that theirs was the last habitable island left in Azeroth. Only after intensive study, research and spell-creation was Ahsa Cloudbringer, their most prestigious mage, able to travel to Stormwind alongside a Wu-Dao court officiate in order to solicit the Alliance's King Varian Wrynn on behalf of their Empress, an exchange that concluded by granting the emissaries permission to travel unfettered through Alliance-owned territory, as well as being briefed on current affairs, Alliance races, et cetera. The emissaries returned to their Empress with this information; information that left the isolationist island-nation reeling, baffled at the sheer scale of the world that they had been hidden from for countless generations. The news inspired the Empress herself, escorted by her Royal Guard, to visit these foreign lands on a diplomatic mission with the express intent of spreading their culture, traditions, and even offering their home to any Alliance race that would be receptive. Civil War The Emperor to rule before Tuian, Emperor Chushing, led the Wu-Dao Isle during its one and only war. Citizens from all around the island rallied around the then-new concept of all citizens holding equal voting power, a movement that culminated in a rebellion against the Emperor and his kingdom. Starting out as petty skirmishes directed at the Mistguard, the battles and casualties continued to mount as more citizens joined the rebelling cause. During one of the rebellion's last assaults, they managed to capture the Emperor and all of his male next of kin, executing them. In the panic, he had sent half of his Royal Guard to protect the eldest daughter, Princess Tuian, sending her to hide away in a remote area of the palace. While they were distracted with the execution, the Mistguard swarmed them mercilessly, ending the war in a bloody battle within the spiritual forests of the Isle, both sides losing countless lives. Veterans of this war will speak of it rarely, as it is very taboo to do so. Those of the Rebellion who died in battle were utterly disgraced. Their bodies were not given a proper burial, and all family members were taken prisoner to either be executed as well, or tortured until all vestiges of loyalty to the rebellious cause was excised. Those who were captured surely wished they had perished, as they were subjects to the worst punishments Wu-Dao Isle had to offer. Whether it be bamboo shoots growing up from the ground as they are tied down, slowly growing up and through their bodies, or being forced to fight one another in the gladiatorial arena. This was the first, last, and only time the Wu-Dao has ever had to fully mobilize its armies. Geography As a former extension of Pandaria proper, Wu-Dao Island exhibits many of the same defining features as its parent landmass. The eastern half of the island can be accurately compared to Pandaria's Jade Forest in that it is partially mountainous and features a subtropical climate with long, hot summers and a monsoon season that coincides with the warm season. Its otherwise flat geography is regularly interrupted by abrupt, columnar mesas which reach mountainous heights, while the forest floor is abundantly equipped with a large variety of perennial vegetation, ranging from dense bamboo forests to verdant willows and blossoming cherry trees. This half of the island enjoys the majority of the resident population, most noteworthy cities built to encompass the Empress' colossal, central palace-temple. Many rivers cut valleys through the mountains; most connecting at a central tributary basin that feeds into the warm waters of the Mistveil Sea. The northernmost section of the island features Wu-Dao's tallest mountains, a cold, severely dry region that sees only trace snowfall due primarily to the rain shadow effect. In spite of this, the source of several major rivers can be traced into this dramatic, inhospitable region. Only a select few hardy villages survive in this area, none in steeper elevations. West of the more densely-populated half of Wu-Dao is an expansive, low-elevation wetland plain where much of the island's agriculture is situated, benefiting from the silt-enriched tributaries that flow from the northern mountains. Although the climate in this area is temperate and the landscape is little more than grassland, the few established villages serve little purpose beyond hosting markets as most farms are entirely self-sufficient. The distant south-most region of Wu-Dao features an area not unlike that of the eastern half in that it is primarily a densely-forested region characterized by intense, frequent monsoons. However it does not possess the irregular mountainous traits of its eastern counterpart, and instead appears mostly obscured by the dense canopies of the ancient trees that live therein. It is a forbidden place, a dark forest that holds great cultural and religious significance to the residents of Wu-Dao; a place for their ancestors, and its lone remarkable structure is also the only building on the island that rivals the Empress' palace in size: an expansive stone temple built in the honor of their ancestors. Island-residents are forbidden entry to the forest, knowing it only as "Gulin". Culture WIP Politics WIP Military Wu-Dao's native military is a small but significant affair, composed mostly of peasant levies who desire honor beyond the mundane tasks expected of a citizen in the lesser caste. Although a specific quota of active soldiers is desired, enlisting is usually a voluntary ordeal as many see the opportunity to serve in the military to be an honor, or at the very least an improvement from their former occupation. Wu-Dao's armies, compared to the rest of Azeroth's, are rather ill-equipped, a fact that is only marginally offset by the rigorous training that each soldier is expected to receive. Although Wu-Dao does not often see internal conflict, it is a matter of principle that their soldiers be thoroughly prepped for combat at all times. The military is split between three "divisions", each division hosting soldiers of a different skillset such that soldiers with specific talents will be paired with others like them. For example, the largest branch of the military is devoted to footsoldiers, those skilled in close-quarters and melee combat. Another is devoted to scouts, rangers, and other miscellaneous non-magical roles that do not fit the footsoldier criteria. The last is comprised of those skilled with magic, be they healers, mages, or shamans. Although each division and their respective generals are independent of one another, all three generally work in conjunction in order to enact their Empress' will. Much like the caste system that the Wu-Dao Pandaren exemplify, the system of ranks in the military is hugely dependent on a Pandaren's birth status. If it usually expected that if one joins as a common soldier, they will remain a common soldier, however exceptions are made in the case of generals. In lieu of an active general in any division, any soldier may advance to this position of leadership on account of merit regardless of their birth status. There may be more than three generals in unique exceptions, but ultimately the rule remains the same. All generals and common soldiers answer to the Empress, who is the true head of the military. Another sect of the military is the Empress' Royal Guard, a small division of "elite" and versatile warriors who are tasked primarily with protecting the Empress herself, although the scope of their duties tend to vary wildly depending on situation at-hand. Members of the Royal Guard are selected during The Trial of the Mists, an extremely rigorous trial in which the most prestigious members of the common military are to compete with one another in a series of strenuous mental and physical tasks to prove their worth to the Empress. When the trial concludes, the victor will be selected among the few survivors; those who have not succumbed either to the trials themselves or their competitors. Needless to say, even being nominated to participate in the trial is a tremendous honor. Language Wu-Dao is a unique dialect spoken only by natives of Wu-Dao island. It is a language built on the foundations of ancient Pandaren, although over the years has lost much of its similarity to the parent dialect. At the present, however, the two languages are completely different from one another and share only a few archaic words and phrases, such as "Langhai," for Emperor. Wu-Dao's origin can be traced back before The Sundering, when the land was a province of Pandaria. The dialect held little variation from Pandaren, at the time, and only developed its unique identity after the island's separation from the mainland. As most, if not all pre-Sundering literature had been lost or destroyed during the catastrophe, all guidelines for future use of the language had to be composed from memory by what few survivors remained- many of them illiterate, peasant-class laborers and farmers. In the years that followed, Wu-Dao's language gradually developed more and more of its unique identity, adopting a focus on polysyllabic words and a distinctive, frequent use of noun redepulication. The written language commonly foregoes the use of inflection or affixes, conveying grammatical information primaly through word order and particles. Peasant-class Wu-Dao, the most commonly illiterate of the population, utilizes a lower form of the language that ephasizes the use of contractions and a variety of obscure colloquialisms foreign to the formally-educated. It is a complex, ancient language unlike any other on Azeroth. Celebrations The Trial of the Mists '''-- An annual event that marks the middle of the calendar for the Wu-Dao people, falling upon '''August 15th. During this trial, every Pandaren whom volunteered is put through rigorous, fatal tasks in hopes of defeating the burdens put ahead of them. Many Pandaren die each year in this celebration, however, those whom fail are given the Empress' highest honour, and buried with pride. Those whom surpass and conquer the Trial are only the strongest, and their reward is becoming one of the Empress' Royal Guards. The championship and trial changes each and every year, with various planners switching up and trapping the isle. During this celebration, it is not uncommon to spot and see the ancestral spirits roaming the isle. Category:Places Category:Islands Category:Jade Forest Locations